And then there were Fourteen: A Sequel
by DreamHost
Summary: It's been 6 months since Melissa quit working for the Asahina family. Within that time, she became top maid at a maid cafe & got herself a boyfriend; one that she loves with all her heart. But when Christmas comes & the ex-maid begins feeling obligated to thank the men who had helped her in the past, boyfriend Kazuki & the brothers find themselves at odds. Who will prevail?
1. Prologue

**Did you really think it was the end? Well, be excited for this! Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting. Some of the ages have changed due to the passage of "time", so please refer to their information in my first story, "Maid for Thirteen". It covers their ages (in that story), birthdays, and heights. I won't be reposting their information here, so "Maid for Thirteen" is your best bet for quick info.**

 **A bit of information: I'm bringing in another one of my OCs. If you'd like to see what he looks like, find me on DeviantArt at Melissa-Disney99. I've posted a group picture of all my OCs, so anytime I use them, you'll have a reference :)**

 **Here is my new OC's information:**

 **Name: Kazuki Tachibana**

 **Age: 20. Birthday: October 19th**

 **Height: 5'11 (180.34 cm)**

* * *

Prologue

*Friday dusk, November 28th, 2014*

"Thanks for your hard work!" I call out as the other girls leave the cafe. I put up the _closed_ sign and pull the drapery shut. After changing out of my deep blue uniform and into casual clothes, my cellphone suddenly rings, causing me to jump in surprise.

"Hello?"

"Melissa?" My cheeks heat at the sound of my name on his lips.

"Kazuki? What is it?" I stick the phone between my ear and my shoulder as I slip on my street shoes.

"You just got off work, right?"

"Mhmm."

"Good, because I'm right outside the cafe."

"What?!" I almost drop the phone, catching it inches before it hits the floor. I hastily throw my purse over my shoulder. I spare a few moments to carefully shut the cafe down and lock its doors before running around to the front of the building.

"Kazuki!" I run into his outstretched arms and he wraps me up in a strong embrace.

"I see you're happy to see me" he quips. I look up at his playful smile and grin.

"I am!"

"Tired?" He takes my hand as we begin walking.

"Yes. It was a busy day today" I say, exhaustion finally taking over.

"I could always carry you home." My eyes widen.

"No!" I exclaim, shoving into his shoulder a bit. He chuckles.

"You're always so easy to embarrass."

"That's mean of you to say" I pout, looking up at him. He smiles back down at me, and I blush as my heart flutters a little. We walk in silence as I lean my head on his arm. Kazuki and I had been together for four months now, and those four months had been total bliss.

We first met when I had stopped working in the cafe's kitchen and had started working as a maid; he had been my first customer. He had been so bold as to ask my number, and we'd hit it off. A few days after that, he came back to the cafe and asked me out on a date. Since then, we discovered that his apartment is the door across from mine, making it even easier for us to see and spend time with one another.

"You're lost in your thoughts as usual, aren't you?"

"Kya!"

"Melissa, you're too easy to read" he says bluntly. I raise an eyebrow.

"Eh? And would you prefer someone who kept secrets?" Kazuki scoffs.

"Tch, of course not. You know I love you just the way you are."

* * *

"I miss Big Sister" Wataru says. Everyone turns to look at him; the family was in the middle of dinner. It was such a random, out of place statement. Yet, it couldn't be ignored.

"I wonder what Melissa's up to nowadays" Tsubaki muses aloud. "She's not staying in contact like she promised, is she?" Now everyone looks at Masaomi. He shakes his head.

"Sadly, no. But it can't be helped; I'm sure she's found something to keep her occupied."

Iori listens silently, keeping his mouth shut. He wouldn't say anything, but he and Melissa and been sending each other weekly emails since she had left. That is, until about four months ago. Two months after she had moved out, the emails stopped coming. For whatever reason, Iori didn't know; he only knew that Melissa had cut all communication.

"Natsume hasn't even been able to contact her" Tsubaki says. "It's like she's avoiding us, you know?" Hikaru chuckles from his seat.

"Oi, and what's so funny?" Yuusuke asks.

"Isn't it obvious? Melissa probably has a boyfriend by now."

"What?!"

* * *

 **Chapter 1 should be out soon. I hope I didn't disappoint!**


	2. Chapter 1: Forgotten

Chapter 1: Forgotten

*Wednesday early morning, December 3rd, 2014*

 _Knock, knock_. "Melissa?"

"Just a few more minutes" I mumble into my pillow.

"Melissa?"

"C'mon, let me sleep already."

"Melissa?" I groan as I roll onto my back. I look up at my ceiling; sometimes, my persistent boyfriend could be such a pest. I glance at the clock on my nightstand; 6:30 a.m. Kazuki's relentless calling of my name is what woke me, and he knew the consequences of doing so on my day off.

I throw on an oversized, cream-colored sweater, a pair of silk gray leggings, and my glasses, forgoing the use of contacts, makeup, and a hairbrush. This morning wouldn't be the first time my alarm-clock boyfriend would see me without makeup. Since working at the maid cafe, I gave up on wearing contacts, finding my charm more effective with my stylish, nerd-like frames in the stead of lenses.

I open the door and lean a hip against the frame, staring up at him with a deadpan look in my eyes. He simply grins back at me, and I notice that his hair is neatly combed and he looks wide awake. _Figures, he is a morning person after all_ _,_ I mentally grumble.

"Good morning, sweetheart" he says, bending down for a kiss. I shove his face away from mine.

"Ew no, not this early! I haven't even brushed my teeth yet" I say, covering my mouth with my hand. "I guarantee you that you do _not_ want to deal with my morning breath."

"You know, I'd know if it were a real issue or not if we'd stay the night together sometime" he remarks sarcastically. I roll my eyes.

"In your dreams! Listen, we've been over this already; please, just respect my boundaries" I say, pursing my lips as I send him a sidelong glance.

"I do respect your boundaries" he says, growing serious. "I'm grateful that you even have them. If you didn't, I'd probably have given you a lot of trouble by now."

"This is too serious of a conversation for this early in the morning" I say suddenly, reaching out and pulling him into my apartment. A few minutes later, he's sitting at my table as I brew a pot of coffee.

"It really is too early to be doing anything" I mutter, pouring him a cup.

"It's beautiful this time of day; stop complaining" he replies amiably, accepting the mug. I roll my eyes.

"You know Melissa, you've changed since we met each."

"Oh?" I raise an eyebrow as I take a seat across from him. "How so?"

"You've loosened up; you seem happier and carefree. You're also willing to open up to me now, and you've become blunt and honest." I smile, though my heart cracks a bit. It was true; I _had_ loosened up and become more… normal? Socially acceptable?

I've become something with Kazuki that I never would have imagined possible had I stayed with the Asahina family. The thought that Kazuki was the one who had changed me, helped me, supported me, and truly loved me; it sent warmth to my bleeding and broken heart and healed my aching wounds which the well-meaning brothers had inflicted. He worked through my callous attitude towards men, and he helped soften me. I am once again reminded by my heart to hold onto Kazuki and never let him go; he was my hero, the man who saved me from myself.

"Melissa?"

"Yes?"

"You were thinking again, weren't you?"

"Well, uh…" I scramble for an explanation, but he chuckles.

"It's fine" he says, smiling gently. "It's what makes you who you are, right? Just another thing I love about you." I flush.

"...Thanks…?" He laughs again.

"So, what do you want to do on your day off?" He asks. I shrug as I take a sip from my mug.

"It's your turn to pick" I say lazily. "I picked last week." Kazuki smirks a bit and leans back in the chair.

"If you recall, I was the one who picked last week, and the week before that, and -"

"Okay! I'll pick; you win."

* * *

"Good morning, Ukyo" Masaomi says, walking into the kitchen. The lawyer nods towards his older brother.

"Good morning Masaomi."

"You're up early, seeing as how it's _your_ birthday today."

"I am aware."

"Thirty years now, right? It seems we're getting old" Masaomi comments, chuckling soft; Ukyo only grunts in response. Ms. Tsukiyama would be twenty years old by now. The two of them - Ukyo and Melissa - were eleven years apart; there was not (and never would be) any hope for a relationship between himself and the young woman.

"You're thinking about her, aren't you?"

"Yes; how did you know?" Masaomi sighs.

"We've all been thinking about her. I can't help but wonder if she's doing alright."

"You know where she's working, don't you?" Masaomi nods. "Then why don't you go visit her?"

"I could ask you the same question" The doctor responds. "Besides, it _is_ your birthday after all. It wouldn't be wrong for you to visit a maid cafe for your thirty-first."

"Visit such a place at my age?" Ukyo laughs softly. "I don't think they'd let me in."

"Those types of places allow customers of all ages and genders" Hikaru says, appearing in the entryway to the kitchen. "They've got a great selection too" he adds, winking.

"I didn't ask for your opinion" Ukyo snarls, glaring at his perverted, cross-dressing brother.

"Well, we're all worried about Melissa, so it can't be helped. I'll give my opinion whenever it involves her" Hikaru replies dismissively.

"Happy birthday, Big Brother!" Wataru shouts, running into the kitchen.

"You're too loud in the mornings" Fuuto grumbles behind the young boy.

"Oi, what's all the commotion about?" Yuusuke asks, straggling in as well.

"If it means we're all together, it must be about either Ema or Ms. Melissa" Kaname responds, joining the group with an ironic smirk on his face.

"Eh? Melissa? Has anyone heard from her lately?" Tsubaki asks as he and Azusa appear behind Kaname.

"I don't believe so. I do wish she would contact us soon, though" Louis murmurs as he and Iori make their way over.

"It was nice to have someone to talk to and relate with" Ema says softly as she and Subaru complete the family gathering, Juli perched on her shoulder.

"Could you all get out of the kitchen?" Ukyo says. Everyone notices that they're crowding it and immediately disperse so that the birthday celebrator could have room to breathe.

"Now, what is all this talk about Melissa for?" He asks, rather crossly. "She made her choice to leave; we should respect that."

"Eh? But don't you wonder if our efforts to help her were in vain?" Fuuto asks, leaning against the wall.

"I agree. You'd think the least she could do is contact us and show her gratitude" Tsubaki adds.

"She's probably very busy with her boyfriend" Hikaru comments.

"What is with your constant talk of Melissa having a boyfriend?" Yuusuke asks, going on the defensive.

"And wouldn't you like to know?" The former quips, smirking before growing serious.

"In actuality, I've been visiting the maid cafe. She doesn't know it, because I don't request her and I wear disguises. But every day after the cafe closes, a tall, young man with semi-long black hair and blue eyes picks her up and they leave together."

"And when did this start?" Azusa asks, finally speaking up.

"About two months after she moved out. It was when she had first started working as a maid. You do realize she started as a cook before being promoted, yes?"

Iori's eyes widen a fraction. The new boyfriend must be the reason for the cut of communication. So now, what could _he_ do to regain that link with Ms. Tsukiyama?

* * *

 **Well, the cat's been let out of the proverbial bag. Want to know what will happen next? Favorite and follow!**

 **Review and let me know what you think! I'm going to add Kazuki to my BroCon poll now :)**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	3. Chapter 2: Memories Re-Surfaced

Chapter 2: Memories Resurfaced

*Wednesday early afternoon, December 3rd, 2014*

"So, now what?" Kazuki asks, looking down at me. He and I had just finished watching a movie (after I brushed my teeth and hair), and now had nothing to do. I shrug casually as I lean back into the couch and snuggle into his arms.

"I don't know…" Suddenly, my cellphone rings, interrupting our time together.

"Melissa?"

"Eh? Chiyo?" I blink in surprise at the sound of my friend's voice and the background noise of a busy, hectic kitchen. "What's up? Is something wrong?"

"Suzume called in sick. I hate to bug you on your day off, but it's so busy today, and -"

"Don't worry about it. I'll be right over" I interrupt reassuringly.

"Really? Oh my gosh, thank you so much! I'll take one of your shifts so you can have another day off, I promise! I'll repay you somehow!" Laughing softly, I hang up on my over-dramatic co-worker to see Kazuki looking at me with big, disappointed eyes.

"Oh dear, I'm really sorry. I was looking forward to spending the day with you, and I know you were too" I say, doing my best to wrap my short arms around his broad, muscular torso. His strong arms envelop me as he returns the embrace, pulling me deep into his lavender dress shirt and the smell of his cologne.

"It's fine" he murmurs into my hair, gently stroking my black hair.

"You'll come keep me company, won't you? Chiyo would insist, you know." I look up at him with shining, anxious eyes. He nods, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Of course."

An hour or so later, I hang my purse up in the dressing room. Chiyo comes running towards me, her curly, auburn hair flowing gracefully behind her. Her piercing green eyes are filled with relief, and the way her red maid uniform is rumpled, I can tell that so far, it's been a stressful work day for her.

When I had been introduced Chiyo Kimizuki, my first thought had been "Hikaru Asahina". Her red hair, lanky build, and emerald eyes matched him perfectly. The only differences were was that Chiyo was very femininely… endowed… Her voice was of course higher, and that she was a good four or five inches shorter than the cross-dressing Asahina brother.

"I'm so glad you came!" She exclaims, throwing her arms around me as tears well up in her eyes. "There are _so_ many people here today, and Suzume's sick, and -"

"It's good to see you too! And don't worry about coming into work, it's fine. But I do have to change into my uniform, and I can't very well do that with you hugging me" I laugh, removing myself from her arms. Another thing that Chiyo and Hikaru shared in common was their love (more like need) for physical contact. After Chiyo leaves the room, I quickly change into my blue maid uniform and am out among the tables and booths within minutes.

I immediately spot my boyfriend at his customary table and smile. On days that I was abruptly called into work, he would sit at the booth in the far, back-right corner and wait until work was over. Occasionally, he'd leave to do something (like shopping), but at the end of the day, he'd always be there to walk me home.

"Booth eight needs to be waited on" Chiyo says over her shoulder as she passes me. I nod in acknowledgment as I make my way over.

"Good afternoon, masters. How may I serve you today?" I say sweetly, bowing to the table of men.

"It's good to see you again, Ms. Tsukiyama" I snap to attention. That voice… It couldn't be!

"Ukyo?!"

* * *

Ukyo watches the girl in front of him blink rapidly as she immediately straightens. He had expected her to be surprised; just not _this_ surprised. She covers her mouth with white-gloved hands as she shakes her head in disbelief.

"This can't be happening" she murmurs softly behind her fingers.

"I can't tell if she's terribly upset or overcome with joy to see us" Kaname comments, leaning back in his seat. "How have you been, Little One?" Melissa's cheeks turn scarlet.

"I, uh, well, you definitely caught me by surprise!" She laughs nervously, causing a pang of guilt to mercilessly stab Ukyo squarely in the chest.

"We should go" he mumbles as he goes to stand. Melissa's eyes widen as she places a soft but firm hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him back down into the velvet-cushioned booth. A spark shoots through the second eldest Asahina at the sudden contact, and he looks away to hide the aggravating blush that rises to his cheeks.

"Oh no! I hope you didn't read me the wrong way," he hears her say through the fog that had filled his mind, "it's just that I honestly didn't expect to see you here." Pulling out of the strange trance Melissa's proximity had put him in, Ukyo looks up to see her that her eyes are down as she traces an indiscernible pattern on the floor with the toe of her shoe.

Such an action sends all-present Asahina brothers through a nostalgic vortex; her voice, her eyes, her nervous habits, her embarrassed blush. It was all the same, nothing about her had changed. It was as if they had gone back in the past, back when they were still living under the same roof with her; back when they had been like a family.

"It's Ukyo's birthday, you know" Hikaru says, drawing the men out of their personal memories.

"Is it?" One of Melissa's small hands to comes rest on the side of her face. "I completely forgot! I must have forgotten so many birthdays too. I'm very sorry!" She bows deeply. "Is there anything I can get for you now, perhaps to make up for it?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact…" And Hikaru continues to order for the whole table.

"As you wish" she says before retreating into the kitchen.

"She's still the same" Tsubaki says wistfully, leaning his chin into his hand.

"She hasn't changed" Iori comments softly.

"She still blushes easily" Kaname says.

"She appears to be happy" Masaomi adds, relieved.

"She's still willingly helpful" Azusa observes.

"Her personality is still warm and friendly" Louis says.

"And her eyes are just as beautiful as ever" Natsume says dazedly. Everyone turns to face him, and he goes a shade scarlet as he realizes what he had just said.

"Natsume, do you fancy Ms. Tsukiyama?" Ukyo asks. Natsume simply grunts in response, avoiding eye contact with the rest of his brothers.

"Eh? Look over there" Hikaru suddenly says in excitement. They follow his line of sight to see a young man - around Melissa's age - sitting at a table in the back corner. His fingers swipe along an iPhone screen, and it's obvious that he's playing a game of some sort rather than texting someone. His semi-long black hair completely covers his right eye and curls lazily around the nape of his neck. The unobstructed left eye shines a pale, crystalline blue as it dances over the screen.

"Is that -"

"- Her boyfriend?" Hikaru says, finishing Tsubaki's unfinished question. "Yes, I think so."

"It's pretty clear why she fell for him" Kaname comments, leaning back in his chair.

"There's no hope for any of us!" Tsubaki laments, laying his head on the table in defeat.

* * *

"Melissa? Are you okay?"

"Huh?" I turn to look at Chiyo, who's giving me a worried look.

"You look like you've seen a ghost or something." I laugh shakily.

"Oh, it's nothing."

"You sure?"

I nod. "Positive."

"You're tray is shaking. Don't spill on the customers." After giving me a quick squeeze on the shoulder, Chiyo hurries back out into the maze of tables with her own tray of orders.

"Just take a deep breath. You'll be fine" one of my former co-workers in the kitchen tells me. I turn to send her a grateful smile.

"Thank you Aiko; you're a doll!" She flashes me a peace sign before I head out. I quickly make my way to the Asahina table and begin setting plates down.

"I apologize for the wait!" I say energetically, smiling at each of them in turn and giving them my best maid performance yet. Ukyo stares dumbly down at the slice of cake which Hikaru had ordered for him.

"Here you go." I hand him a fork. He looks up at me with a stiff smile.

"Thank you."

"It's your birthday, right? Allow me." I take his plate and, with the aid of a chocolate-filled bottle, write "Happy Birthday Ukyo" on the white porcelain. Handing it back to him, I smile brightly as once again he stares and mumbles his gratitude.

"Eh?! Melissa, write my name too!" Tsubaki exclaims, holding his plate out to me.

"With pleasure" I reply, taking it from him and writing his name down with my signature flourish at the end. "I hope it's to your liking."

"Melissa, you're so adorable as a maid" Tsubaki comments, causing me to blush.

"It looks like a party over here; mind if I join?"

* * *

 **I apologize that it took so long to get this chapter out! Please forgive me *bows deeply***

 **Let me know what you thought of this chapter. Please review, and thank you for your support!**

 **~Melissa-Disney99**


	4. Chapter 3: Immediate Conflict

Chapter 3: Immediate Conflict

*Wednesday afternoon, December 3rd, 2014*

I gulp. _Kazuki! Why did you come over?!_ I mentally scold him. Instead, I plaster a look of girlish surprise onto my face.

"Mr. Tachibana!" I exclaim, feigning formalities. "Is there something can get for you? You've left your table." My boyfriend only raises an amused eyebrow at me.

"You've haven't called me 'Mr. Tachibana' for a while" he says with a smirk. I inwardly groan.

"Kazuki, please return to your seat" I command, a little forcibly as I narrow my eyes. Tucking the serving tray under my arm, I place my hands on my hips.

"I'm serious" I add.

"Why?" He asks, grinning obstinately. I purse my lips; _here goes nothing_.

"It is against maid regulations that any _romantic_ relationships interrupt work" I say factually. "Furthermore, as head maid, I must set a good example for my co-workers."

"Eh? Romantic relationships?" I wince. Tsubaki's voice was just as interested as I expected. I couldn't bear to turn and face them now; what kind of faces would Iori and Masaomi have? What about Natsume, and even Louis? Those four had counseled me, comforted me, and just been so friendly and warm. _What if I've hurt them?_

Slowly turning around, I find myself the one becoming surprised. They don't look shocked - at all. They actually look like something's been confirmed to them. _But, they couldn't know… Could they?_

"Mr. Tachibana, it's good to meet you." Masaomi scoots farther into the booth. "Would you care to join us? We would be pleased to have your company." I blanch; _did he really just say that?_

"The pleasure would be mine" Kazuki replies with a smile. I shake my head. Everyone seemed to be getting along, so I guess I should be grateful for that much.

"Well then, I will go get Mr. Tachibana's order and bring it here. If you will excuse me, Masters." With a bow, I return to the kitchen. Once there, I lean against the wall and place a hand on my pounding heart. Heaven knows _what_ will transpire while I'm gone!

* * *

"When did you meet Ms. Tsukiyama?" Ukyo asks Kazuki once the maid is out of sight.

"It will have been exactly four months on December 7th" he says. "Her first day as a maid was on her twentieth birthday, and I was lucky enough to be her first 'master'."

"Eh? That _is_ really lucky!" Tsubaki exclaims, eyes widening.

"Four months is a fairly long time for just a boyfriend, girlfriend relationship" Kaname comments. "Have the two of you talked about marriage yet? Most people would have either left each other or gotten married by now." Kazuki raises an eyebrow at the straight-forward question. He had just met these men, yet they were asking him questions like they were best friends. They also appeared to be very protective of his Melissa.

"That would not be most men" Ukyo says. "That would be you, and you are not most men."

"No, we haven't talked about it yet" Kazuki replies. "The thought has - admittedly - crossed my mind more than once, though."

"Do you know if she returns your feelings?" Hikaru asks, smiling amiably. Kazuki inwardly flinches. He often told her how much he loved her, but she had never replied in so many words.

"And it matters to you… How?" He shoots back, leaning back into the cushioned booth.

"We spent quite a bit of time with her" Louis answers gently. "We feel somewhat connected to and responsible for her." A lightbulb goes off in Kazuki's head. So _these_ were the men who Melissa had told him about. The ones that had made it so difficult for him to get close to her.

"Forgive me for saying, but I'm assuming that you're the Asahina brothers" he comments.

"Some, but not all" Iori replies softly.

"Ah, I see." Silence falls over the table, no one wanting to say anything.

"Here you are, Master." Melissa's bright and cheerful presence immediately lifts the tension as she sets a plate down in front of Kazuki.

"Is there anything else I can do for you today?" She asks, tilting her head to the side. Kazuki feels his heart skip a beat; this was the look that had snagged him that first day. It was known as one of her signature actions. None of the other maids could do it with the same effect.

"No, thank you" he says before any of the others can say anything.

"Very well. Please, enjoy yourselves!" She bows to them before heading off to wait on another table.

"My, you seem to be keeping her to yourself" Hikaru comments with a smirk.

"Is there an issue with that?" Kazuki asks, matching Hikaru's smirk with one of his own.

"Not at all." Again, tense silence.

"Well, if you'll excuse me." Kazuki picks up his plate, stands up, and leaves the booth. He returns his usual table, while the Asahina brothers stare after him in stunned amazement.

"It seems the battle has just begun" Hikaru comments softly. "Let us see where this will take the story."

* * *

"Sorry to keep you waiting." I tuck my white button-down into the waistband of my black skirt as I walk out of the dressing room. "I just have to lock up, and then we can go."

"Don't worry about it" Kazuki says with a smile. He follows me around as I lock the windows and doors. As we step out into the back alley and I pull the key out of the back door, I feel Kazuki's arms wrap around my waist as he buries his face in my neck.

"What are you doing?" I ask, blinking in surprise.

"You're mine and only mine, right?"

"Yes… What brought this on?" I turn in his arms to face him, and he looks down at me with his crystal blue eyes.

"Because I don't want any other man to hold you like this." My heart skips a beat; I hadn't ever seen Kazuki's jealous side before. He had always been understanding of my line of work, and had never questioned it whenever I waited on other men. It was only one of my duties as a maid, after all.

"I'd never let another man hold me" I tell him, placing a soft hand on his cheek. "There's nothing to be worried about." Kazuki abruptly straightens to his full height.

"I don't like how those other men looked at you today" he says bluntly.

"Uh…"

"I'm a selfish and jealous man, Melissa." I gulp. Something in his voice unnerves me; he sounds serious. Really serious.

"You'd don't have anything to be worried about" I reiterate, shaking my head. "Any romantic feelings that I _may_ have had for the Asahina brothers has long since vanished. Ever since we met, I knew that we had an immediate connection! Would I ever give up on that?"

"I hope not" he whispers, leaning down and kissing me on the forehead. I blush.

"Come on. The alleys are no place for us to talk." I grab his hand and pull him away from the cafe. Once back at the apartments, I unlock my door and shove Kazuki in before closing it behind me.

"Now, what is this all about?" I confront him, placing my hands on my hips.

"Those Asahina brothers; you haven't talked to them since you started dating me, right?" I nod. "But, you didn't tell them we were dating either."

"No, I didn't. But -"

"During those four months, they thought you were still single. You were still on their minds. They were still wanting you..."

"It's not like that! I -"

"How do I know you sincerely love me?"

"You know I -"

"You've _agreed_ with me. That's not the same thing. I want to hear you say it."

"What?"

"I want you to earnestly and honestly tell me how you feel about me; about _us_." I blink.

"You really _don't_ know how I feel, do you?" It comes out more a statement. I take a deep breath and walk over to him. Reaching up on my tiptoes, I place my hands on either side of his face.

"Kazuki, I love you" I tell him. "There is no man that I have ever felt this way about. You know that." He closes his eyes and leans his face into my hands. I step forward, and he welcomes me with opened arms.

We stay in an embrace for what seems like an eternity until Kazuki finally whispers in my ear, "Mind if I stay over at your place tonight?"

* * *

 **Yay! Finally, another chapter. Sorry to keep you waiting for so long! Trying to get caught up on all these stories...**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	5. Chapter 4: Don't Live to Regret It

Chapter 4: Don't Live to Regret It

*Thursday morning, December 4th, 2014*

I jolt awake. _Something's different_ , my mind says. Nothing seems off; I'm in my bed. Everything's where I left it last night, and Kazuki's lying next to me. My face flushes red as I spring out of bed. _Kazuki's in my bed?!_

"Melissa?" His blue eyes open a slit as he mumbles my name. My face only grows warmer as I fumble with my robe.

"I, uh, hold on. Please don't look." His eyes widen a little before he quickly buries his face in my mattress; his cheeks turn pink as well. I sigh.

"We didn't… Did we?" He shakes his head, and I sigh again.

"Good. I'm glad you remember what happened last night, because all of it seems like a blur to me."

" _You_ seemed to enjoy it" comes Kazuki's muffled voice. I pick up a pillow and throw it at him.

"That's enough out of you" I say, a bit roughly. "Anyway, I'm going to take a shower. Do _not_ come into the bathroom. If you do…"

"I won't, I promise" Kazuki replies. I quickly close the door to my bathroom behind me, then take off my robe to survey the damage. I'm wearing nothing but my underwear, and there's a dark spot on my collar-bone. _Lovely_ , I mentally quip. It was definitely a good thing when Chiyo said she would take over the cafe today. Since we rarely saw our manager, I was usually the one running the place.

I strip down to my nothingness and climb into the shower, letting the warm, silky water slip down my body. As I massage shampoo into my hair, I close my eyes as my brain searches for memories of last night. What _had_ we done? Apparently, things had gotten steamy. But, just _how_ steamy?

"Melissa?" I jump at the sound of Kazuki's voice right outside the shower curtain.

"Ka-zuu-kiiii!" I whine, throwing my hands over my naked body. "I told you not come in here!" I hear him chuckle.

"I can't see anything. Except for a silhouette, that is." My face turns scarlet.

"Pervert! Idiot!"

"Alright! I'm gone!" I listen carefully as his footsteps retreat, and wait a little longer until I'm sure he's closed the bathroom door behind himself. Once I feel safe, I turn off the shower, pull the curtain back, and cautiously climb out. I wrap a towel around my torso, then pull my hair up in one as well.

I open the bathroom door a crack. "Kazuki? Are you still in here?" I ask into my bedroom. No response. Relieved, I open the door all the way, then return inside the bathroom and pick up my discarded underwear. Throwing them into my laundry basket, I clutch the top of my towel as I walk into my bedroom.

After changing into a clean pair of underwear, I begin pulling on my short, black skirt just as I hear my apartment door opening. _Crap_ , I think to myself. If Kazuki could've timed his arrival any better, it was now. Struggling into my white, button up shirt, the door to my bedroom opens and in walks Kazuki.

He stands there, staring at me, and I stare back for what seems like eternity. My hand clutches the top of my shirt tightly, and my cheeks turns pink. Kazuki's one, visible eye widens considerably before he quickly turns his back to me.

"I am _so_ sorry, Melissa." I blink, then quickly button up my shirt.

"Don't worry about it" I mumble. After tucking the shirt into the waistband of my skirt and slipping on my black, knee-high stockings, I turn around.

"It's safe now" I tell him. Kazuki faces me, albeit cautiously. I notice that he has changed his clothes as well. He's now wearing a pair of worn blue jeans and a lavender, v-neck t-shirt.

"I'm sorry" he apologizes again. "I should have knocked."

I sigh. "It's fine."

* * *

 _Breakfast has never been this awkward_ , I think to myself. Kazuki and I sit across from one another at my table, but neither of us say anything. _He's probably running last night's events over in his head_ , I speculate.

"Melissa?"

"Hai!" My head jerks up, and I look expectantly at him.

"Uh," his cheeks turn pink, "never mind."

"Oh." Silence. _Just say something!_ I mentally scream. Taking a deep breath, I open my mouth.

"About last night," I manage to squeak out. "Could you, maybe, tell me what happened?"

"You want a play-by-play?"

I flush scarlet. "Well, um -" We're interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Who could that be?" I ask, half to myself, as I stand up from my seat and walk over to the door.

"Big Sister!" A missile of some sort launches itself into me, and I fall back onto the ground.

"Sorry for barging in like this, Melissa."

"E-E-Ema?" I stammer out, then look directly in front of me to see a pair of large, brown eyes.

"Wataru?!" I disentangle myself from the twelve year old's arms.

"We missed you Big Sister!"

"Tch, Little Tsukiyama can't even bother to say 'hi'."

"Fuuto?"

"Senpai! You never contacted us like you said you would." I glance behind Fuuto and Ema.

"Yuusuke? Subaru? What are you all doing here?" I stand up and brush my skirt down.

"We c-c-came to visit!" Subaru exclaims nervously.

"Uh, right…"

"Melissa? Who is it?" Kazuki comes walking out of the kitchen, and I mentally groan. _Here we go again!_

"These are -"

"We're the rest of the Asahina brothers" Yuusuke says immediately, cutting me off.

"And Ema" I add. "Kazuki, this is Ema Hinata, and Subaru, Yuusuke, Fuuto, and Wataru Asahina."

"Eh, and who is this?" Fuuto asks snidely, shoving his face into Kazuki's.

"My name is Kazuki Tachibana" he replies shortly, straightening to his full height.

"Ka-zu-ki?" Wataru tilts his head in confusion.

"He's my -" I look down, blushing. "He's my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend? So Little Tsukiyama has a man staying with her?" Fuuto chuckles, and I whack him on the head.

"Mind out of the gutter, you idiot" I scold.

"Oh? Tsukiyama got a backbone while she was away." Fuuto faces me, looking almost surprised.

"Whatever."

"Melissa?" I turn to Ema.

"Yes?"

"Sorry for intruding." She bows. I quickly shake my head.

"Oh no! It's not that; I'm just very surprised. I saw Masaomi and the others yesterday, so I'm a little overwhelmed."

"I want to hear Big Sister play the piano!" Wataru shouts with a grin.

"Eh?!" I exclaim. "What brought this on?"

"That is sort of why we came" Ema admits, blushing.

"Eh? Just play it already" Fuuto says, pushing me towards Natsume's housewarming gift.

"But, I -"

"Pleeease?" I look at Wataru, who has stars in his eyes. I sigh in resignation.

"Okay." I sit down and open the book to the song which Natsume had asked me to learn.

"You play?" Kazuki asks, coming to stand next to the piano.

"Of course she does" Fuuto says coldly. "Why else would she have a piano?" Kazuki grunts, but doesn't reply.

I place my fingers on the keys and send a silent pray upwards that I may be able to remember how to play it. I hadn't practiced since I started dating Kazuki. The song comes out better than I had expected, with the occasional mistakes here and there.

"Didn't Natsume want it perfected?" Fuuto asks as I close the lid to the upright.

I blanch. "Ah, well…"

"You don't really care about thanking him, do you?" Fuuto counters. I shake my head vigorously.

"It's not that! I've been busy, and -"

"Busy?" Fuuto scoffs. "Kazuki seems to have been keeping you _very_ busy. Come on," he says to Ema, standing abruptly, "let's go."

"Fuuto…" Ema says as he roughly pulls her to her feet.

"I don't want to go!" Wataru whines. Fuuto ignores their protests as he and Subaru guide Ema and Wataru outside of my apartment. I watch sadly, feeling my heart breaking; _what have I done?_

"Senpai." I look up at Yuusuke, who is still standing in the doorway. "Why?" Without another word, he walks out and closes the door behind him.

* * *

 **So sorry for the delay in posting this chapter! I've had severe writer's block towards this specific story for a while, and have been very busy writing my OHSHC fan-fic instead. Please forgive me! /bows/**

 **Anyway, I had to go refresh my memory on what the characters are like by watching the BroCon OVAs. So, I apologize for any OOC-ness. Just be aware to expect some more OOC in the future because I'm dumb and I sometimes have a hard time keeping character personas straight.**

 **Review, let me know just how mad you've been at me for not posting, and I'll hopefully get things going now that I have this chapter out of the way.**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	6. Chapter 5: Repaid Gratitude

Chapter 5: Repaid Gratitude

*Friday afternoon, December 5th, 2014*

Needless to say, after the Asahinas left, Kazuki had erupted, throwing question after question at me: why I hadn't told him that I could play the piano? How did those "clowns" know where I lived? Did I still contact them? He was in a jealous rage.

I had calmly invited him to leave my apartment, which he had done, and then he slammed to door to his own apartment behind him. I had spent that day lying on my couch, trying to figure out what to text him to make things better.

Finally, I text him the answers to his questions: I hadn't told him because it had never come up whether I played the piano or not. Those "clowns", as he so put it, were the ones who had helped me secure this apartment. Also no, I had frozen all contact with them once he and I began dating. Funny, he didn't believe me.

"Melissa" he'd said. His voice shook with barely-retained rage. "I think we need some time."

"Kazuki" I had replied with a sigh. "You're really going to let something like this tear us apart after four months?"

"It's been four months, and we haven't said anything to each other about the future!"

"The future? What are you… Oh, Kaname must have said something yesterday."

"You're still calling them by their first names?"

"I've been given permission!"

"You're not in any sort of relationships with them anymore. There is no need for you to use their given names."

"You know what, Kazuki? I think you're right. I think we both need some time to calm down and really analyze where our relationship lies. During that time, however, I may see who I like. That, of course, will not concern you. Goodbye, Kazuki."

At that point, I had hung up. Now, I find myself standing in front of an apartment door that should have been familiar to me, but wasn't. Chiyo had noticed that something was off about me this morning, and when she asked what was going on, I had burst into tears and spilt the proverbial beans. After that, Chiyo took over and told me to take another day off.

Smoothing down my skirt for the thousandth time, I inhale deeply, then reach out and ring the doorbell. I can hear muffled footsteps making their way to the door, and I watch breathlessly as the doorknob jiggles.

"Who is i- Melissa?" Natsume's eyes widen in surprise.

"Sorry to intrude." I smile weakly up at him.

"No, don't be." He steps back, motioning for me to come in. I awkwardly step past him through the narrow entryway, but because of the large bag on my arm, I fail to see where I'm going and trip over the doormat.

"Careful!" Natsume reaches out a hand and grabs my upper arm to steady me. Instead, the weight of my bag pulls both of us onto the floor.

"Ow" I whimper, opening my eyes.

"Melissa, are you okay?" Natsume's violet eyes stare worriedly into mine.

"Ah…" He's lying on top of me, and I quickly look away, blushing furiously. _Maybe coming here was a bad idea…_

Natsume stands up and holds out a hand towards me. "Here."

"Thank you." I take his hand, and he pulls me up and into his arms.

"It's good to see you again" he says with a smile.

"Y-y-yes…" I pull out of his arms and remove my shoes, keeping my head down the entire time.

"Shall we?" He gestures to the couch, and I nod. As we each take a seat on an opposite end, I lean over and open my bag.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I've come" I say, fumbling with the zipper and avoiding eye contact. "Well, I was up late last night working on something." I glance over to see Natsume watching me intently, causing me to blush further.

"Anyway," I pull out a sound recorder, "this is for you." I slide the recorder over to him on the couch cushions. He silently takes it and proceeds to press the play button. Piano music immediately fills the room, and I stare at my hands. _There was no way I could watch him listen to my music! How embarrassing._

"This is… Amazing…" I look over to see an astonished expression on his face as the song ends. I quickly look away again.

"Ah, thank you. I'm finally repaying you for the-"

"No, thank you." His voice is filled with sincerity. An awkward silence follows, and I steal a glance at Natsume. He's looking at the recorder with gentleness in his eyes.

I shake my head and stand up: what was I doing here alone, in another man's apartment? Kazuki and I hadn't officially broken up; we had just needed some space. But, I _had_ said that I would see who I wanted to see…

"I guess I should be off!" I laugh nervously, then bend down and pick up my large bag. "Keep the recorder, will you?" I begin walking to the door.

"Melissa?" I stop and turn around. Natsume has stood up and is striding towards me.

"Hm?"

"About your boyfriend. Kazuki Tachibana, was it? I want you to know that… That I think he is a good man, and -"

"Stop." Natsume's voice goes quiet, and he looks at me confusedly. I feel my lower lip begin to tremble.

"Kazuki and I," I take a deep breath, "we are no longer seeing each other." My eyes fall to the large bag in my hands, and a single tear slides down the side of my face.

"Melissa, I -"

"Don't apologize."

"But, it must be pretty hard after four months."

"... Yes, it is."

"Did you love him?" I look up at Natsume, who's only inches away from me. Large, unshed tears hover on my lash-line and drip down my cheeks.

"We were happy together..."

"But, did you _love_ him?" Natsume's voice is a little more forceful now. I blanch, not sure how to answer.

I shake my head. "No, I guess not." More tears. "I saw him, and he just seemed so perfect, and-" My voice cracks as I begin to sob. "I-I-I just thought that- That he and I could be-" I shake my head, not knowing what I had thought. He had asked for my number, I had given it to him, we had then become a couple. How it happened, I wasn't sure. But, I hadn't ever said that I loved him.

Natsume envelops me in his arms, and I melt into them. It just felt so natural to be back in the arms of an Asahina. Though they had caused me trouble in the past, they had all understood me so well. All of us knew each other; we knew where each other stood emotional-wise. How we thought of each other was never a secret. We were never forced to play guessing games with one another.

"Melissa, I think it's time for you to come home."

"Huh?" I look up at him as he loosens his hold on me.

"You've been gone long enough. Pack your things: you're going home."

* * *

 **Finally getting over writer's block for this story. Have an update :)**

 **(Yes, the Kazuki x Melissa ship just took a turn for the worst. Let's see what comes of it, shall we?)**

 **Don't forget to favorite, follow, and review!**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	7. Chapter 6: Welcome Home, Ms Tsukiyama!

Chapter 6: Welcome Home, Ms. Tsukiyama!

*Friday dusk, December 5th, 2014*

"Big Sister!" Wataru slams into me, causing me to fall back into Natsume.

"Eh? Is that really Melissa?" Tsubaki climbs the stairs with a pleasantly surprised look on his face.

"Ah, so it appears that our little maid couldn't stay away for long." I jump at the sound of Hikaru's voice.

"Where's that boyfriend of yours, Little Tsukiyama?" Fuuto asks, joining the throng of brothers.

"And, why the suitcase?" Yuusuke asks.

"It's a long story" I reply, finding it hard to keep a smile on my face. In reality, I just wanted to see Masaomi, Iori, Louis, and Ema. They _were_ the ones who calmed me down the most, after all.

"Melissa?" My heart skips a beat as Masaomi appears at the top of the stairs.

"Masaomi!" Suddenly, it becomes much easier to smile.

"Ah, is that Mai?"

"Hello Louis."

"Melissa?"

"Ema! Please, allow me to apologize yesterday. It's just that I was not expecting to see any of you."

"There's no need to apologize." Ema smiles warmly at me, and I feel my body relax.

"What brings you here?" Masaomi asks as the brothers part, allowing him to get closer.

"Well…" I look up at Natsume, who nods in encouragement.

"You see," I try again, mustering all of my courage, "Kazuki and I are taking some time away from each other, and I was wondering if…" My voice trails off, and I shake my head; this was a ridiculous idea.

"Yes?" Masaomi asks patiently.

"Never mind." I turn to leave, but Natsume blocks my path. I sigh and face Masaomi again.

"I was wondering if I might find a place here again!" I blurt out, then clamp a hand over my mouth, blinking in surprise.

"That…" Masaomi also looks surprised.

"I'm sorry!" I bow, smacking my head on the handle of my suitcase.

"Melissa!" Immediately, the doctor is at my side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine!" I giggle shakily, rubbing my now-red forehead with my hand. "It probably won't leave more than a bruise."

Masaomi gently removes my hand and takes my face in his two, large ones. His eyes search every inch of my face, and I find myself wondering if he's really just looking for signs of damage, or if there's something more.

"It's good to have you back" he finally says, backing away with a smile.

I sigh with relief. "Thank you, Masaomi."

* * *

*Friday late dusk, December 5th, 2014*

"Melissa?" I quickly hop off the bed and hurry to the door. I was now back in my old room, which looked as though it had never changed; almost as if it had been waiting for me to come back. I open the door to see…

"Iori!" I exclaim, smiling. He was holding a bouquet of anthuriums.

"Melissa." He also smiles, handing me the bouquet.

"Hospitality flowers." I close my eyes and inhale deeply.

He nods. "Yes. I'm glad to see you remember."

"How could I forget? They were the first flowers you ever gave to me…" My voice trails off and my cheeks turn pink as I remember the meaning of the last bouquet he had given me.

"Thank you" I finally say, now feeling a bit shy.

"Of course." He nods, and then turns to leave.

"Wait!" I slap a hand over my mouth for the second time today. He turns around, almost as if he had been expecting me to stop him.

"Yes?"

I blush. "I'm… I'm sorry for discontinuing the emails. I think that might have been one of the worst mistakes that I have made."

* * *

Iori walks down the hall and away from Melissa. His heart was pounding hard, much like it had done that fateful day when he had first brought her flowers. The girl hadn't changed, except for the fact that she now wore glasses. And the square frames only added to her cuteness.

He shakes his head. He knew he wasn't the only one who still cared about her. The rest of his brothers shared his feelings. It was always a race amongst themselves; who could win the girl's heart first? In the end, Subaru had won Ema. It was nice not having him in the running, but the ones who were still competing were the some of the most competitive out of the thirteen.

"Iori." He looks up to see his brother.

"Louis."

"Were you just visiting Mai?"

"Hai."

"I think we'll go visit then."

"Hai." Iori watches Louis go the way he had just come from. Louis was a strong competitor for Melissa. The two had seemed to form a bond, similar to the one which Louis and Ema had formed. It killed Iori just how easy it was for Louis to gain the girls' friendship. He envied his brother: he wanted to be that close with Melissa too.

* * *

"Mai? Are you there?" I stop just as I was about to put away some clothes. I hurry to the door.

"Louis, it's good to see you." Juli's sitting on his shoulder. "You too, Juli" I quickly amend, stroking the squirrel on its head.

"We've missed you." Louis' voice is kind and gentle. I smile.

"Well, it's good to be back."

"Your bangs are getting a little long." Louis reaches out and brushes them back. I shyly adjust my glasses.

"Yes, I believe so. Can I schedule a haircut with you tomorrow morning before I leave for work?"

"Of course."

"Thank you, Louis." I'm just about to close the door, when Louis stops me.

"Melissa?"

"Yes?"

He smiles. "Please don't leave us again."

* * *

 **#ShortChaptersForTheWin**

 **Yeah, sorry about that. Things will be running kind of slow in this story until I hit a good climax point.**

 **Anyway, favorite, follow, and review!**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	8. Chapter 7: Have Patience

Chapter 7: Have Patience

*Saturday morning, December 6th, 2014*

"Miss Melissa?" I groan.

"Melissa?" Another groan.

"Big Sister! Wake up!" I fall out of bed, fully awake now. Wataru's voice was unignorable.

"I'm up!" I call out, scrambling to my feet. Running my fingers through my snarled hair, I trudge to my bedroom door and open it.

"Sorry to wake you, Miss Melissa." Standing outside my door was Ukyo, Azusa, and Wataru.

"No, no; you're fiiiine." I yawn, and Ukyo chuckles.

"Are you sure _you're_ fine?" He asks with a teasing smirk.

I nod. "Yes, I'm fine." Then I yawn again.

"We'll go now" Azusa says. "We just came to let you know that breakfast is ready."

"What?!" My eyes shoot open. "I can't believe I overslept! Please forgive me, I'll do better next ti-"

"What are you apologizing about?" Ukyo asks, looking amused. I stop, realizing that I have no idea what my position in this household was anymore.

"Ah…"

"Melissa, you are now part of the family. We will give you your personal assignment, but you are no longer under the obligation of maid in this household. You do have your own job now, do you not?"

"I do…"

"Good!" Ukyo smiles. "Then it's settled. We will discuss your assignment with Masaomi soon."

"Ah, right." The four of us stand there awkwardly. "... Mind if I get changed?" I finally ask, running my fingers through my tangled hair again.

"Not at all" Ukyo immediately responds, his cheeks coloring slightly as he seems to suddenly notice that I'm wearing a pair of booty shorts and an over-sized t-shirt with the words, "Heart-Breaker" on it. I nod, smiled tightly, then close the door on them. With a sigh, I quickly change into my day clothes and brush out my hair. Afterwards, I make a pit stop at the bathroom (which was - thankfully - empty) to brush my teeth, and then I descend the stairs leading to the dining room.

"Good morning, Melissa" Masaomi says as I take a seat at my usual place near the window.

"Oh, good morning Masaomi" I reply with a smile. I scan the table, which consists of Masaomi, Ukyo, Iori, Louis, Tsubaki, and Yuusuke.

"Where is everyone else?" I ask.

"They've already eaten and left" Ukyo says. "Why don't you join us at the table?"

"Ah, right." I awkwardly stand and carry my plate to the table, but then stop short when I realize just how many spots are open. Embarrased, I finally decide to slip into the seat between Masaomi and Iori.

"Would now be a bad time to discuss my assignment here?" I ask after a long pause.

Masaomi smiles. "Not at all."

I sigh. "Good. What, exactly, would you like me to do?" Masaomi and Iori exchange glances.

"Would you be alright working in the gardens with Iori again?" Masaomi asks. I shake my head vigorously, not being able to help the large grin that spreads across my face.

"Not at all! I enjoy working wi- in the garden." I blush a bit at the slip of my tongue. _How embarrassing!_ Thankfully, no one seemed to notice it.

"Wonderful." Masaomi smiles again.

"Are you happy to be back?" Tsubaki suddenly asks. I look at him in surprise. _What brought this on?_

"Of course" I respond without a second thought. "I've missed seeing all of you every day." Then my eyes widen. "D-d-did I just say that out loud?" A nervous laugh. The others laugh with me, sounding just as awkward as I felt.

"Well Melissa, we're glad to have you back" Ukyo says kindly. I sigh with relief, give him a grateful smile, then proceed to eat.

Afterward breakfast, Iori takes me out to the gardens to explain to me what needs to be done. I listen as he talks, but his eyes continually flicker over to my face, causing a shade of pink to remain permanently on my cheeks throughout the instructions.

"I'll be here too," he concludes softly, "so don't be worried about getting things wrong or trying to remember the exact instructions." He smiles gently, and I immediately feel myself smile back.

"Right!" I crouch down and examine the now-desolate flower beds. They were covered with tarps to keep them safe from the frosty, winter weather as well as preserving them for the oncoming spring, when they'd burst into bloom once more.

"You've… Kept them in good condition" I say softly, looking up at him. He's still smiling at me, and I quickly avert my eyes.

"I have" he says. "I did so in hopes that you'd come back and see them one day." My eyes widen, but I keep my focus on the flowers.

"Oh, r-r-really?" I hear no response and assume he nodded. The cold air seems to stand still between us, and I shiver slightly.

"You're cold." I feel weight on my shoulders and realize he's taken his coat off and put it on me. I quickly stand and try to take it off.

"Oh no! I'm fine, really. Let's go inside if need be, but I don't want you suffering at my -" I never get the chance to finish my sentence. Iori leans over and places a gentle but firm hand on my upper arms, pressing his lips softly against mine. I instantly notice that the feeling of the kiss is different with Iori than it had been with Hikaru, or even Kazuki. While Hikaru had made me feel dizzy and confused, Kazuki had made me feel… _Nothing_ , I realized. However, Iori's kiss made my heart beat wildly and my stomach pool with warmth. It was soft and gentle, almost like the flutter of a butterfly's wings. _It was nice_ , I thought. But, it just wasn't _the one_. Not now, anyway.

He pulled away, and his hazel eyes stared intensely back into mine. It was almost as if he were mentally pleading with me to be okay with it; to fall in love with him. I felt like I could love him; I felt like I wanted to. But, with a breakup that had happened just yesterday, I wasn't sure if my heart was ready for another relationship so soon.

"Melissa?" His voice is soft and tentative.

"Y-y-yes?" I respond, looking away from him.

"... How did it feel?" My cheeks flush pink.

"It felt… It felt… Very nice." Silence. I risk a glance up to see that his expression has fallen and he looks slightly upset.

"Iori…" I walk up to him and look up into his face. "I just broke up with Kazuki yesterday. I… I need time… Please," I place a hand on his shoulder, "be patient with me."

He nods slowly and gives me a small smile. "I'm keeping you to that" he says softly.

"I know. I'll try not to let you down."

* * *

 ***cries* I'm a terrible person, I know. Here my excuses for this time 'round:  
A) School. Stressed out crap, but it will (hopefully) be over by the beginning of May!**

 **B) Writer's block. I swear, I don't have the patience to go back and re-watch all of these animes which I'm writing fan-fics on, but having not seen them for a while might be the reason why I'm having such bad writer's block for them.**

 **C) Time. Ain't nobody got time for dis (though I'll try to make more time).**

 **D) Art. I've become very active on PaigeeWorld in the roleplay world, and online roleplaying takes up a lot of my time.**

 **I'm super sorry for leaving you all hanging, and I thank all of you loyals who continue to stick with me even when I'm a poop and don't upload often. 3 you all!**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	9. Chapter 8: Mixed Emotions

**FYI: This chapter has fluff... (no lemon/lime/smut/etc). Just pure, unadulterated fluff**

* * *

Chapter 8: Mixed Emotions

*Saturday evening, December 6th, 2014*

"Melissa?" I look up from my account book to see Ema peeking her head through the door. I smile, motioning for her to come in.

"Ema!"

"It's good to have you here again."

"It's good to be back. Please, take a seat" I gesture to my bed. "I'll be done in just a minute." I hear her walk over, and the bed-frame creaks slightly as she gently lowers herself down onto it. I write down a few more figures, then turn around to face her.

"What's up?" I ask, placing my hands in my lap and quizzically tilting my head to the side. She looks slightly guilty, peaking my curiosity more.

"I saw you and Iori in the gardens…" My eyes widen and my mouth forms a small O. "I just thought you should know that I saw the two of you together."

I nod. "Ah, right. Thank you for your consideration. I really appreciate it." She looks shyly over at me.

"You're not upset?"

I laugh lightly and shake my head. "A little embarrassed, but not upset." Ema lets out a small sigh of relief, but makes no move to leave.

"... Is there something else?" I finally venture. She nods reluctantly.

"Well…" She starts to fidget. "Iori is very sensitive."

I nod again. "Yes, I know…"

"Please be good to him."

"What?" I look at her with wide eyes, and her cheeks flush.

"If the two of you, ah, get together. Please be kind."

I force a small smile. "Of c-c-course."

She stands and bows. "I hope I wasn't too much of a bother."

I also rise. "Not a bother at all." I see her out of my room, still wearing a tight smile. After closing the door however, I feel my shoulders sag. She must've noticed the atmosphere between him and myself during dinner. It hadn't been tense, but it mostly certainly had not been relaxed either.

I return to my desk and pick up my pen with the intent of finishing up my account books. Instead, I find that I can't focus on the figures at all. My thoughts keep returning to Ema's words. " _Iori is sensitive."_ I lean my head against the cold surface and close my eyes. Why did my life always seem so complicated? Couldn't I have drawn the better straw? Giving my dejected account book one last look, I stand and head out of my room. If anyone could help me, it'd be _him_.

* * *

I stand in front of his door, not knowing what to expect of this encounter. There was really only one person who knew Iori inside and out. But would I be able to talk to him? The door opens, and the monk stands in front of me, smirking.

"K-K-Kaname?" I squeak, almost as if in question.

"Hello there, Little One." My face goes scarlet at the nickname, and his smirk widens.

"Can I…" I take a deep breath. "Can I come in and… And talk to you?"

" _Just_ talk, Little One?" I blush further and nod. He takes a step back to allow me entrance, and I slip inside before he shuts the door, closing me inside.

"Shall we sit down?" He places a hand on the small of my back and starts guiding me towards his bed. I take another deep, calming breath. _Everything will be alright_. I take a seat on his bed, and then he sinks down into his desk seat. I suddenly become aware that he's wearing a pair of jeans and a hoodie jacket, not to mention the t-shirt that accentuated his muscular torso; not his usual, extravagant monk garb. I blink several times, attempting to clear my thoughts.

"What can I help you with, Little One." He steeples his fingers together and leans forward in his seat. I involuntarily move back.

"I need advice" I say, forcing a calmness into my voice that I did not feel.

"Advice? On what?" He still wears that annoying smirk.

"... Iori." Kaname's smirk disappears in an instant.

"Ah, I see." He places his fingers against his forehead and closes his eyes, almost looking pained.

"You know about Fuyuka, yes?" I nod. "Iori has a hard time letting others through his barrier. If he-" Kaname suddenly stops talking and looks at me directly in the eye. "Why, exactly, do you need advice on Iori, Melissa?"

I flush. "He… He's shown interest in me." I look down at my hands. "We kissed in the garden, and then he asked me if I felt anything."

A long pause. " _Did_ you feel anything, Melissa?"

I sigh. "I… I don't know."

"You don't know?" His voice isn't sharp, but I still feel the slight sting and I flinch.

"I…" I look up into his face. "I want to return his feelings; I really do. I just… I just don't know who feels right anymore. I don't know _how_ to feel anymore" I look away, embarrassed at what I'm about to say next.

"I never had any relationships during middle school through high school. Even the first and only year I went to college, I didn't have any. You…" My face burns red. "You brothers were - are - my firsts." Kaname says nothing, and I wait for his response. Still, silence.

"What about Kazuki?" He asks suddenly. I visibly flinch.

"W-w-what about him?"

"Didn't you feel anything when you kissed him?" His voice isn't accusatory; more like concerned. I shake my head.

"Now that we aren't together anymore, I realize that I never felt anything when we kissed, or even when we touched. I don't know what he felt, but I know that I didn't feel anything."

Kaname leans back with a soft groan. "I see."

I look at my hands. "Kaname, may I ask you a bold question?"

"By all means." The slightest hint of his usually teasing personality tinges his words. I look up at him to see that the corners of his lips are twitching in a vague smirk.

"You've… You've kissed many women, haven't you?"

"My goodness Little One, that _is_ a bold question." His smirk grows, and I flush scarlet. He chuckles softly, then looks me directly in the eye. "But yes, in answer to your question, I've kissed many women." For what seems to be the millionth time, I take a deep breath.

"Did you ever notice that kisses from different people feel, I don't know… Different?"

He nods thoughtfully. "I suppose so. Why? Have you noticed something?"

 _I can't believe I'm going to tell him this_. "H-H-Hikaru and I… A long time ago, we…" I can't finish my sentence.

"The two of you kissed?" I look up to see him smirking.

"... Yes."

"And your consensus so far?"

I blink. "Ah, well…" He waits, and I shake my head and sigh. "I feel that Hikaru literally made me lose my mind. It was like there was a fog over my thoughts, and I couldn't think straight. Iori, however, had a very," I blush, "gentle touch. He made my heart flutter and my insides melt." Before I can say anything else, Kaname has gotten out of his chair and pushed me down onto the bed. Lying on my back, I stare up at him as he stands over me.

"Perhaps you should have another experience under your belt" he says in a low voice. His arm snakes underneath my body so that he's holding my waist. In one fluid movement, he's pulled me to my feet and pressed his lips firmly against mine. An electric shock zaps through me, and I feel my legs grow weak. Apparently he feels it too, since he picks me up and holds me bridal-style.

I instinctively wrap my arms around his neck to ensure I won't fall to the ground. He slowly pulls away, though his face remains only centimeters away from my own. He smirks, and I cast my eyes down, blushing furiously and unable to meet his gold-eye gaze.

"How was that, compared to the others?" He asks, his voice still low. I remain silent, and I can hear him chuckling deep in his throat. He sets me down - standing - on his bed, then places a hand under my chin, brings my face up to look at him, and kisses me once again.

That electric shock returns, and my legs start to waver. His strong arm wraps around my waist, drawing me close to him. Standing on the bed made me slightly taller than him, and I feel my hands lift up to either side of his face, slightly deepening the kiss. I feel him smirk against my lips, and my cheeks flush scarlet. This time, I'm the first to pull away. He continues to hold me around the waist, but my hands drop from his face to his jacket's open flaps. I look away from him, once again embarrassed.

"You've gotten bolder, Little One." The teasing edge to his voice is back.

"I-I-I suppose I have" I reply, my voice no louder than a timid squeak. He chuckles, then sits down on the bed, pulling me down with him.

"I don't suppose you'd object to spending the night?" My eyes widened.

"K-K-Kaname! I… W-w-we can't."

"Why not?" He whispers in my ear. I close my eyes and press my lips firmly together.

"The one time I shared a bed with another man was when that relationship was ruined."

"Ah, I see." He sounds like he's just discovered the answer to the world's greatest mystery. Setting me on my feet, he places a hand on my head and ruffles my hair gently.

"Very well, Little One. I understand. Just be prepared that I won't give up so easily like some of the others." He winks at me, and I look down at my feet.

"... Right." I hurry to his door, turn around to bow to him, then scurry back towards my room. Once inside, I collapse to my knees and stare at the ground. How could I have let things get like that? Why was it that I felt so drawn to so many of these brothers, and yet none of them felt right? That night, I fall asleep with a troubled mind and a conflicting heart.

* * *

 **Mmm, I'm really happy with how this chapter came out,because Kaname doesn't receive a lot of love in the fan-fiction world. So, have some Kaname 3**

 **Anyway... Do you feel like Melissa is a player? Or do you feel like she's innocent and being pulled in different directions, unsure of where to go? I really need to know so I can write according with how she's supposed to be, so please review!**

 **And again, I apologize SO VERY MUCH for not having updated in so long. Here's to a hopeful future that I may write more soon -_-**

 **~ Melissa-Disney99**


	10. Chapter 9: Minor Adjustments

Chapter 9: Minor Adjustments

*Wednesday afternoon, December 17th, 2014*

"Thank you for coming, Young Masters! Please visit us again soon." I wave at the group of second-year high school boys, giving them a closed-eye smile as they leave the cafe. Seeing the grins on their faces reminds me of how much I love this job. Giving customers a heart-pounding experience was only one of the perks, but it was the part that I loved most.

"Me-lee-ssa!" I turn to look at Chiyo, who was waving at me from the kitchen doors. She exaggerated the pronunciation of my name when we were among customers to add to my maid lolita appearance.

"Over here, Chi-Chi!" I wave back, letting her know that I'd heard her.

"We neeeeeeed you!" She calls in a sing-song voice. Some of the customers who overhear our conversation laugh, and I giggle at her acting.

"Hai-hai!" I tuck my serving tray under my arm and hurry into the kitchen. Chiyo's overly-cheerful maid expression vanishes in an instant once I arrive.

"Did you see who came today?" Her voice is serious, and I notice her face has gone slightly pale. I shake my head warily.

"Noooo… Who?"

"Mister X."

"Who?" I raise an eyebrow, and Chiyo rolls her eyes.

"You-know-who is here. You know..." She makes an 'X' with her arms. I shake my head.

"Just tell me, Chiyo."

"Kazuki! That's who!" I flinch at the sound of his name.

"You mean, he decided to show his face today?" He hadn't stepped foot inside our cafe since we'd broken up.

She nods. "Yes, _him_. And he's requested _you_."

I feel my stomach drop. "Me?"

"Yes, you!"

I sigh. "Ugh, okay." I turn around to head out when Chiyo reaches out and grabs my arm.

"Will you be alright?" Her green eyes stare meaningfully at me. I nod.

"Yes, I should be fine. I'll give you the signal if I need you to take over."

"You better."

"I will! Don't worry." She gives my arm one last squeeze before letting go.

"I'm keeping you to that."

I salute her. "Aye aye, Cap'n!" She smiles and shakes her head as I walk back out into the cafe. I look around and immediately spot him at his usual table. _Figures_ , I think dryly to myself. The man didn't stray far from habit. Taking a deep breath and straightening my posture, I walk over to Kazuki's table.

"Welcome, Master Tachibana! How may I serve you today?" I flash him a closed-eye smile. His stone cold expression doesn't soften one bit.

"Melissa, we need to talk." My smile falters slightly, but I force myself to keep up the maid act.

"Master, I am not permitted to speak with you at the moment! You should know that." I make a tsking noise and shake my head. "Now, is there anything I can get for you?"

"Your time."

"That's a bold request!" I laugh, trying to keep the atmosphere light-hearted. Kazuki suddenly reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me close.

"Master, please release me." I keep a smile on my face, but my voice is commanding.

"Listen here, Melissa. I know you're staying with those brothers, and I don't like it." He lowers his voice so that no one can hear but me.

"Master Tachibana, please -"

"I'm not finished." He looks directly into my eyes. "I plan on winning you back. Don't think that I can't, and that I won't." He lets go of me and I stumble back a few steps.

"I've decided that I want Chiyo" he says, his voice back to a natural volume.

"As you wish, Master." I bow and hurry back to the kitchen.

"He wants you" I tell Chiyo, slumping against the wall.

"He looked pretty aggressive out there." She peeks out into the cafe. "You sure you're alright? You can call it a day if you-"

"I'll be fine" I say with a sigh. "Just, give me a few minutes to recuperate."

"Of course." Chiyo goes out into the cafe, leaving me alone.

"Here." I look up to see Aiko standing in front of me with a glass of lemonade.

"Thanks, you're so sweet." I smile weakly as I take it from her.

"It sounds like you've got your hands full." Aiko shakes her head sympathetically. "I just wish I could do more."

"No, this is perfect." I take a long sip from the cup and close my eyes. "Mmm, this is really good! New recipe?" I look at curiously. She laughs.

"No! Actually, it was your first specialty recipe."

"Really?" I look at her in surprise. "I almost didn't recognize it!"

"Maybe that's because you haven't had time to drink it and relax recently" she responds with a small smile. "Honestly though, Chiyo, Suzume, and the rest of us will understand if you need some time off."

I shake my head, also smiling. "Thank you for the offer, but I think I'll be fine."

* * *

*Wednesday early evening, December 17th, 2014*

"Big Sister's home!" Wataru launches himself at me as I walk through the elevator's doors on the fifth floor. I hug him tight, surprised at how tall he's getting.

"My goodness, Wataru! You're going to knock me over!" I exclaim, laughing as my glasses fall off of my face, bounce off of the twelve year old's head, and then clatter to the ground.

"Oi, Wataru!" I look up to see a very blurry version of Yuusuke approach, pulling the youngest Asahina off of me. "Don't break Senpai or her glasses!"

"Oh, sorry Big Sister!" Wataru says. I shake my head, chuckling softly at his antics as I bend down to pick up my glasses.

"How was work?" Ukyo asks, emerging from around the corner. My smile momentarily falters before I brighten it once again.

"It went well" I say, forcing away the memory of Kazuki as I clean my glasses off.

"Really?" Ukyo raises a prodding eyebrow. I nod emphatically.

"Yes, really." I smile wider, which seems to satisfy him.

"That's good to hear. Dinner will be ready soon." My hands freeze as I'm about to put my glasses back on.

"You haven't eaten yet?"

"Wataru insisted that we wait for you."

"No I di-" Yuusuke clamps a hand over Wataru's mouth. I eye Yuusuke and Ukyo skeptically as I finish putting my glasses on.

"... I see. I guess I'll go freshen up then?"

"Please, do." Ukyo smiles at me and I nod. Waving to the three, I turn around and climb back into the elevator.

Back in my room, I look at myself in the mirror. The bangs which Louis had given so long ago have grown out considerably, and my dead ends seem to create a slightly bedraggled look. I reach up and tousle my hair with my fingers, but it only serves to make it more of a tangled mess.

"It really is too long" I say to myself. "Perhaps I ought to try and schedule that appointment with Louis sooner rather than later." As if on cue, there's a knock at the door and sure enough, it's Louis with Juli on his shoulder.

"Hello there, you two!" I say with a smile as he walks in. I can't help but notice that he has his hair styling tools with him.

"Hello Mai." Louis smiles gently, then holds up a pair of scissors. "Would you like to have that trim now?"

I nod, perhaps a little too vigorously. "Yes please!"

Louis motions towards my desk chair, and I sit down. Wrapping the cape around my neck, he comes around in front of me and starts clipping away at my bangs. Not long after, he steps back to admire his work with a smile. Juli sits on his shoulder and gives me a nod of approval.

"Louis?" He seems startled.

"What is it, Mai?"

"Can you… Cut my hair shorter?"

He laughs softly. "You want your bangs shorter?"

I shake my head. "Oh, no! That's not what I meant. I mean, this." I hold up a lock of my long, black-brown hair.

Louis' smile fades slightly. "You want it short?"

I nod. "Yes, if you don't mind."

"But you're hair is so beautiful long."

I blush. "Thank you, but it's getting to be quite the trouble. Besides, I might look better with it short!"

He looks contemplatively at me, then nods. "I think you're right." He smiles. "But, you'll still let me style it, won't you?"


	11. Chapter 10: Christmas Shopping

Chapter 10: Christmas Shopping

*Sunday late morning, December 21st, 2014*

I lie on my stomach in my room, reading a book that I had picked up from a nearby bookstore. It was a romance novel that I'd heard about a lot, and ever since hearing about it, I'd wanted to read it. Chiyo was being overly generous, and as a Christmas present to me, she told me to take the entire holiday off, even though the café would be open up until December twenty fourth, when it would be closed all the way to January 2nd of the new year.

Aside from reading my book, however, I was enjoying the relaxation of having short hair. Louis had given me an A-line bob, stopping a little past my chin. The initial shock that it'd caused the brothers and Ema had quickly worn off, and my new hairstyle was embraced with open arms. I smile and slightly shake my head as I read. Kazuki would have never allowed me to cut my hair. He constantly told me he liked it long, and he had made me promise that I'd never cut it. This was just one of the many things I was subconsciously doing to break free from our relationship.

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. "Melissa?"

"Ema? Come in!" I see her head peek around the door. She hurries inside, closing the door soundly behind her before coming to sit next to me on my bed.

"What is it?" I ask, noticing the sparkle in her eyes.

"It will be Christmas soon" she says, smiling widely. "I'm going Christmas shopping today. Would you like to come?"

"Christmas shopping?!" My mouth drops open and I drop my book. "I completely forgot about Christmas!" Ema giggles as I quickly stand and fluff out my hair.

"So, you would like to come?" She asks, watching me as I hurry to get ready.

"Of course!" I grab my purse, then her hand. "Let's go!"

* * *

Standing inside a watch shop, Ema watches Melissa eyeing each wristwatch carefully. She knew the struggle of finding a gift for each brother. Ukyo was especially hard to shop for.

"Do you think he'd like this one?" Melissa holds up a gold wristwatch with a wide, dark leather band. Ema leans over and looks carefully at it.

"It's very nice. I'm sure he'd love it."

"You're positive?" Ema nods emphatically, and Melissa lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. It's thankfully in my price range, so I was hoping this would be the one." Ema gives Melissa an encouraging smile as the short girl hurries over to the counter to buy it.

Ema had noticed a change in Melissa. She seemed more free; more free than she had been with the Asahinas months ago, and even more free than she'd been with her former boyfriend. Ema closes her eyes and lets out a small sigh. She knew that her older step-brothers all felt something for Melissa, and she hoped that Melissa wouldn't break all of their hearts. She knew Melissa wouldn't mean to, but dealing with all thirteen of them was hard; she could attest to that from personal experience.

"Ready to go?" Melissa asks. Ema's eyes widen as she's pulled out of her thoughts.

"Hai!" She smiles and the two girls walk out.

"Where to next?" Melissa looks up and down the crowded streets filled with bundled up people.

Ema pauses for a moment. "Ah, I think we should go there." She points towards a clothing store. Melissa nods.

"Okay!" Ema laughs slightly as Melissa grabs her hand and starts weaving through the crowd. She liked the fact that Melissa treated her like a sister. She wasn't sure if she'd always wanted a sister or not, but Melissa made quite the replacement.

"I'm going to go do some personal shopping" Melissa says once they arrive. "Is that okay?"

"Hai." Ema smiles and waves as Melissa walks off. Looking around the store, she moves towards the men's accessory selection. She examines the scarves, immediately thinks of Natsume. If one were to look for the best brother, he would be considered it. She knew he was the one who'd persuaded Melissa to come back, and he was also the brother that she had the hardest time reading when it came to the black-haired ball of energy.

Ema selects a green scarf, then picks up a blue one and a pink one. The other two - Tsubaki and Azusa - were both affected by Melissa as well, she'd observed. Tsubaki's was mostly more of an obsession, much like she had been (and still was) to him. Azusa, on the other hand, was probably holding back a little for Tsubaki's sake. The only thing Ema was unsure of was whether Azusa was serious in pursuing Melissa. She didn't envy the honorary Asahina's position one bit; it was nice to have at least half of the attention off of her. However, she felt bad that Melissa was unwittingly forced to experience it. After all, she _did_ have to deal with Kaname, Hikaru, and Fuuto.

Ema smiles softly as she moves to another part of the store, looking at hair barrettes. Fuuto (thank goodness for Melissa) seemed only to enjoy teasing the ex-maid. Ema was grateful that Melissa had been able to deal so well with his torture, though she was constantly worried that Melissa would make Fuuto snap one day. He had such a short temper that nearly anything could set him off. It was yet another lesson she'd learned through personal experience, and one that she knew Melissa had learned as well.

Turning her attention to a selection of earrings, Ema is reminded of Hikaru. His feelings were obscure, and she wasn't sure if she understood anything that he thought or talked about. While Hikaru was a completely different matter entirely, there was still the problem of Kaname and Iori. Ema could tell that Iori had fallen head-over-heels for Melissa, but she could also see that Kaname was developing a not-so-subtle interest as well. She was worried that it would cause a rift between the two, and if that happened, she had no idea what would happen to Iori.

"Look at these cute little lollipops!" Melissa's voice bursts from out of nowhere. Ema looks up to see Melissa holding up a small glass jar of colorfully-wrapped lollipops. "Aren't they so cute?"

"Ah, yes!" Ema gasps, her eyes widening.

"I'm getting these for Masaomi. Do you think that'll be okay?"

Ema nods emphatically. "I do!"

"Alright! I'll be checking out then. Come find me at the store front when you're done!"

"Hai!" Ema watches Melissa bounce off. Of all the brothers she'd notice the biggest change in, it was Masaomi. He was home more than usual (which was saying a lot since he was able to come home after work most of the time). And it wasn't an unusual topic for her to hear him speaking about Melissa with a fellow brother. She just didn't understand why he'd been so aloof, unlike his siblings. Out of all the Asahina men, Masaomi had been the most obvious yet discreet about his feelings.

Checking out her purchases, Ema walks out of the building with Melissa.

"Let's go get something to eat" Melissa says suddenly. "I'm hungry, aren't you?" Ema smiles and nods. "Alright then! It's settled. I'll pay."

* * *

Ema was so quiet the entire time! I shake my head as we walk into a small, nearby café. I honestly hoped I haven't offended her in some way. We order, then take a seat at a booth table next to a window.

"I've never really gone Christmas shopping for anyone before" I suddenly say, breaking the silence. I don't know what urged me to say it; I guess it was the need for conversation. Ema looks up at me with large, hazel eyes.

"Really?"

I nod thoughtfully. "Yeah. I didn't have any family to shop for, and I didn't have any friends growing up." At the look of sympathy in Ema's eyes, I quickly wave my hands in front of me. "But that's no matter! I have friends and family now with you and the brothers, so it's okay!"

Ema giggles slightly. "Ah, I'm glad you think of us as family!"

"Thank you for accepting me in!" We look at each other and laugh. After we ate, Ema told me she was heading home. I replied with a goodbye and that I'd be home soon. She waved to me, and I headed back to the shopping district. It was growing to late afternoon, and I wanted to get back in time to help with dinner preparations, but I had just one more thing I needed to buy. Something that I couldn't get with Ema around.

* * *

 **I apologize that I'm so slow updating my fan-fictions! I've been busy drawing and role-playing on DrawCast, writing and re-writing for stories that will be published on WattPad, an IRL budding romance, and over-all summer laziness. It's also incredibly hard for me to write consistently in my old style now that I've become better, and I haven't watched the animes I do fan-fic for in a while. Guess I have my work cut out for me ;)**

 **Big shout-out to those of you followers who keep asking for updates! You remind me that I still have a follower base here, and since this is where I started, y'all deserve something special. I'll do my best to keep up!**

 **Reviews of any sort are welcome (as long as they're not "you stink" type of stuff. Then I won't read it XD).**

 **XOXO, ~ Melissa-Disney99**


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